Celebrations rooted in end of harvest season

  Illustration by JARRETT QUON/Daily Bruin

By Christian Mignot
Daily Bruin Contributor

As you perfect your Elvis impersonation or stain your shirt with
blood for Halloween, you’re probably unaware that
you’re participating in a celebration with several hundred
years of history behind it.

The predominantly American tradition of trick-or-treating was
established only recently in the 20th century. According to Leslie
Ellen Jones, who has a Ph.D in folklore, it was promoted in the
1930s as an alternative to the destructive mischief and night
pranks. Trick-or-treating became extremely popular with the great
postwar demographic shift of populations from the countryside and
cities to suburbia.

“The tradition of dressing up has taken on a very American
twist,” Jones said. “It’s a very American
attitude to take costuming as a very personal statement of identity
and non-identity, dressing up as your “˜dark side’ or as
a wish fulfillment character.”

The earliest traditions associated with Halloween all relate to
the timeframe of the celebration: the beginning of November marks
the seasonal change from the months of fertility to winter, a
symbol of death.

Joseph Nagy, a professor in the English department who has
studied the history of Halloween, said the change in season was the
most important factor in the development of traditions that
flourished in feudal Europe.

The end of October marked the end of agrarian harvesting,
inciting celebrations all across Europe on Nov. 1. In Ireland, the
Celtic “Samhain” Feast took place, during which the
participants attempted to connect with another world known as
“Si”. It was also during early November that excess
livestock was killed off, adding to the feeling of death.

“People celebrated before entering into the winter period,
which was known for its tough conditions,” Nagy said.
“It was during winter that people were closest to death, and
therefore the celebration was important for keeping in touch with
the dead and celebrating them.”

This period of foreshadowing death prompted the celebration to
be connected with evil spirits and forms, said Timothy Tangherlini,
associate professor and chair of the Scandinavian department.

The Samhain period became associated with other phenomena, such
as divination, as the Celts believed that, at this time of the
year, a portal opened which allowed people to look into the
future.

From this Celtic tradition, Tangherlini said, came most of the
superstition and disguising associated with Halloween.

In contrast to the superstitious nature of the Celtic tradition
is the religious origin of Halloween. The celebration occurs on the
eve of All Saints Day, also known as All Hallows Day, a Catholic
festival established in 731 A.D. by Pope Gregory III, upon which
the church commemorates saints who do not have a day honoring their
name. This tradition was exported to other parts of the world and
was adapted in Latin America as the Day of the Dead.

Nagy and Jones will lead a roundtable tonight titled
“Pumpkins and Pigs: The Inner and Outer Fringes of
Halloween” in 302 Royce Hall at 7 p.m.